THE PHAKUS OF ALEXANDRIA. 89 



of masonry carried the building to the height of 8 feet 2 inches 

 before the autumnal gales terminated the work of 1840, and an 

 excellent year's work it was. The saying that « what is well 

 begun is half done " was illustrated here. Next year's work was 

 comparatively easy— so that in 1842 the tower rose to its full 

 height of 138 feet, and the year after the light was shedding its 



The Skerryvore Lighthouse. 



beneficent rays over the thirty miles of watery waste that sur- 

 round the hidden rocks of Skerryvore. 



Well may we be proud of men like Smeaton and the 

 Stevensons ; but, while justly admiring their architectural skill, 

 their perseverance, and their courage, we must not forget to 

 offer the just tribute of our gratitude to the eminent natural 

 philosophers without whose ingenious optical inventions the 

 most splendid sea-towers would be comparatively useless. The 

 Pharus or lighthouse of Alexandria was, probably with justice, 



